, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Yes, carry on now. Sorry, Sam. I just wanted to come in on that.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
One of the things that he said during the evidence session was, because we were talking about money coming to the NHS and the way that Welsh Government budgeted back then was to take a risk-based approach to budgeting. Now, as trustees of charities, and that…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Just before I come to Simon, one of the things that the Cabinet Secretary did say when he was in front of us just before Christmas was that he was anticipating hearing something in April/May/June time around the NI contributions flowing back. Maybe, from a…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Thank you. Sam.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Okay. Thank you. Simon.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Is that from a collection point of view, or is that in terms of presentation? So, is it collected and not—
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Victoria, is that similar to your experience?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Thank you. Before I go to Sam, just looking at your stakeholders and the people that you’re here representing today, what’s your overall view of the draft budget, and does it address some of your priorities? Which ones does it address, and which ones does it…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
With the winter fuel allowance cuts, are you seeing that coming through in any of the conversations you’re having with your members?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Do you have anything to add, Natalie?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Victoria, we were talking a bit about winter fuel allowance issues, especially for older women in particular, but also the benefits charter. Do you have any thoughts, or anything that’s coming through your network or the budget group?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
The Welsh benefits charter was published back in January last year. I wonder what your thoughts are on that. Has the charter done what it committed to do or not? And I don't know if I want to start with Simon or go to Victoria or Natalie. I'd be interested in…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
And as a gateway into other forms of help, that's a real issue as well. Speaking to older people who are marginally over—£1, £2, £3 even—the threshold, it's a hard cut-off. Are you seeing that sort of thing in your call centres?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
With the announcement on the winter fuel allowance by UK Government, have you seen that—? What’s been your experience in advice centres? Have you seen more people coming to you on that aspect, or what’s that experience been, because as an organisation, you’ve…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
And, Simon, from your point of view then, anything you'd like to add?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Victoria, you probably agree with a fair bit that you've heard, so in the interests of time, if you don't necessarily repeat, but if there's any extra or anything else that you've seen within the budget, if you'd care to comment.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Looking on to the budget this year then, and I'll probably ask the same to others, have you seen any lessons learnt in what you've seen from the draft budget for this next one, anything that's giving you a little bit of hope?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Fantastic, croeso. Welcome to you this morning. We've got an hour or so with you and appreciate you making yourselves available, and there will be a transcript for you afterwards as well, just to check for accuracy. I'd like to—. Obviously, we're talking…
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Fantastic, croeso.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Fantastic, croeso.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Welcome, good morning. Would you introduce yourselves for the record, please, and we'll start with yourself?
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 4
Welcome back. We've reset the room and are pleased to see our witnesses here for the fourth evidence session.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 3
Thank you very much for your time. It's great to see you here giving your opinion on the budget. There will be a transcript for you to check for any inaccuracies—let us know. We'll take a short break now to reset the room. Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 3
Thank you very much, everybody, for that. That brings us way over time, but as always, very interesting.
, Finance Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session 3
David, did you want to come in on that? I'm just conscious of time, that's all.
